Ministry allows TCP to lift urea from Gwadar port

MUSHTAQ GHUMMAN

ISLAMABAD (December 05 2009): The Ministry of Industries and Production has allowed the Trading Corporation of Pakistan (TCP) to lift imported urea from Gwadar Port after the National Fertiliser Company Limited (NFML) expressed its inability to make transportation arrangements from Karachi and Gwadar simultaneously, sources told Business Recorder.

Against the possibility of laying it open to charges of corruption and nepotism by allowing TCP to transport the urea, the Industries Ministry clearly indicated to the TCP that the rates must be identical to those charged by NFML, a subsidiary of the Industries Ministry.

Sources said that three ships carrying substantial quantity of imported urea are waiting for unloading in Karachi. Official spokesman of the Industries Ministry, Javed Malik, confirmed that TCP has been authorised to transport imported urea from Gwadar Port. For this purpose, a team of TCP officials will visit the venue of the urea stocks on Monday and finalise lifting arrangements. Earlier, TCP had registered a protest with NFML over the slow pace of lifting of imported urea from Gwadar Port.

According to Industries Minister Manzoor Ahmad Wattoo, the government is importing 0.6 million tons urea from different countries to plug the deficiency. TCP's stevedores, Waqar & Co, and Portstar Enterprises, had said that NFML was not providing sufficient transport for lifting the imported urea discharged at Gwadar Port. Moreover, a huge quantity of urea is lying uncovered on the ground, sources added. Keeping in view the situation, TCP's fact-finding team, comprising Director, Commercial-II, along with General Manager (POD) and General Manager (Godowns) visited Gwadar Port on November 21, 2009.

Sources said that the team observed that a huge quantity, of about 80,000 tons of urea, was lying on the ground in open area at the port which would go up to 100,000 tons during the next few days as a new consignment is scheduled to reach the port. The fact-finding team expressed concern over the transport situation, which was expected to get more critical over the Eid holidays.

On enquiry, it was noted that not a single truck for lifting of urea was available at the port. Also, no representative of NFML was present to monitor this situation on the spot sources quoted Acting Chairman of TCP, Ghulam Nabi Mangrio, as saying in a letter to Industries Secretary Abdul Ghaffar Memon. As reported by the TCP Regional Office, Gwadar, and other agencies, the rainy season approaches Gwadar area by the first week of December and heavy rains, followed by thunderstorm, are expected, which may cause damage to the cargo valued at approximately Rs 2420.088 million, if it is not lifted on time.

TCP and NFML were in agreement that in case the bags were not made available in time then the demurrage on the vessel, if any, will be borne by NFML. There were unconfirmed reports that procurement of bags was not transparent, but Industries Minister denied the charges, saying that the process was transparent. It is pertinent to mention here that imported urea will be distributed through NFML dealers network.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2009